7 Comments
User's avatar
Rabbi Eli L. Garfinkel's avatar

On the topic of railroad tracks, I’d like to read what you have to say about the idiom “the wrong side of the tracks.”

Andrew Smith's avatar

Challenge accepted! Noted for later.

Andrew Sniderman 🕷️'s avatar

I once hiked two miles off a road just to find the RR tracks. Walked on them a bit. There’s something magical - something yellow brick road-ish, with a hint of danger - about walking down railroad tracks.

Andrew Smith's avatar

I couldn't agree more. The roots go back a long way, too - all the way back before the golden spike moment, even. It's almost a universal American feeling, at least if your family has been here for generations. Railroads are rad.

Andrew Sniderman 🕷️'s avatar

did you ever put a coin on the tracks and then try to find it after the train passed?

Andrew Smith's avatar

I can't remember if I ever got enough courage. There was that urban myth that the train might derail (I think we told each other that as kids, or maybe adults told us that to scare us away). I'm sure I did other way dumber stuff, though, in case anyone's worried!

Andrew Sniderman 🕷️'s avatar

I don't think that myth is true and that's all I have to say about that.